Complements
by DetectiveArcher
Summary: The experience of Instrumentality has left its mark on Shinji and Asuka.
1. Divisions

**Disclaimer:** The characters Neon Genesis Evangelion depicted in this story are the legal property of Hideaki Anno, Gainax, Tatsunoko Productions, Production L.G., Star Child, etc. No infringement is intended; no profit is being made.

**Author's Note: **To those of you who just read my previous story, no these two aren't related. Well, not really. I did get the idea for this one after finished my last one. Anyway, with that in mind, please read and review.

* * *

The surf washed over his feet as he stared out across the infinite ocean of blood. Shinji was mortified at the endless scarlet sea, a crimson eternity that held no ending in sight. The blood of everyone, innocent and guilty alike, had pooled into one enormous sea. He felt sick.

The ebb and flow of the tide filled the air with the unmistakable scent of blood and offal. When he tried to breath through his mouth to avoid the smell, Shinji found that the thin mist of the breaking waves formed a coppery taste in his mouth. He decided to keep his mouth tightly shut after that.

Looking to either side of him, the former Third Child saw nothing but white sands marred by ruby stains of the ocean. Behind him, there was nothing. No buildings, no electrical towers, no signs of any form of life. He was alone.

Solitude.

Shinji's heart began beating hard in his chest. Taking panicked breaths, the child found he couldn't squelch the growing unease and terror growing inside him. This wasn't right. None of this was right.

"This wasn't what I asked for…" The boy mumbled to himself, his fear growing as each second passed. "No, I didn't want this! I never asked for this!" Looking wildly about him for some sign of human existence to verify his own, he began to take harried steps towards the approaching tide of blood. "Is someone there? Can anyone hear me? Please, someone, anyone!" The crimson liquid now washed across his ankles as he stumbled in the pull of the riptide. "Asuka, Misato, Ayanami, Kaji, anyone!"

The words echoed, an especially unsettling effect, considering there was nothing for the sound to reflect off of. The constant hiss of the moving waters filled the silence. Nobody was coming. The world was empty save for him. This was Hell. He'd died and this was his punishment, Shinji was sure of it.

Shaking, he finally gave in and fell to his knees, the surf rose to meet him and surged across his chest. Cradling himself, his hands wrapped around his shoulders the boy began to shake. This was too much. This was nothing that he deserved. Memories suddenly flashed through Shinji's mind. A shattered entry plug. Disintegrating copies of Rei. A bloody kiss from Misato. The mangled remains of Unit-02. The bloody shreds of flesh that had once Kaoru dangling from Unit-01's open hand. Each image seemed to tear through his thoughts, rip across his mind with ragged edges and sharp claws. And still, there was no sound other than the surf.

"PLEASE SOMEONE TALK TO ME, DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Shinji propelled himself from his bed with such force that he found himself sprawled across the floor, tangled in his blankets. Struggling to free himself, he crawled pathetically across the floor. Struggling to his knees, he could no longer stand the churning in his head and stomach. Wrapped in his sheets, bruised from his fall, the boy emptied his stomach in a violent heave, a pool of vomit pooling before him.

* * *

Asuka stood in a sea of people. A single girl in the swarming multitudes of humanity. The pedestrians went their own way, each having their own business and schedule to keep. They brushed each other from time to time, offering terse apologies when they did so, but continued on their way immediately after. However, Asuka couldn't see any point in their hurry, as there was nothing at all in this world. The whole of humanity existed in an infinite void. The world was a sterile, perfect white emptiness in which the crowd strode upon an invisible plane that stretched on forever in every direction, disappearing from view when they ventured too far. And in the center of the torrent of people, the red haired girl stood unnoticed and uncared for.

"Where am I?" Asuka's question fell on deaf ears as the people around her hurried off to their business, whatever it may be. Furrowing her brow in annoyance the Teutonic redhead addressed another passing pedestrian. "Hey you, slow down and tell me what's going on." Despite her orders, the passing gentleman continued on as if he hadn't heard the pretty teenager. Fighting off a twinge of fear, Asuka growled as she reached out for the well dressed passerby. "I said tell me what's going on, arschloch!" Reaching out to grab the man by the collar of his well pressed suit, Asuka was shocked to find her hand passed right through the pedestrian.

Her breath caught in her throat as Asuka realized what was going on around her. Quickly spinning and addressing anyone who came near, Asuka knew that nobody could hear or see her. The Second Child's stomach rolled as a particularly hurried pedestrian ran right through her. Her body tingled and smarted, almost as if she'd been given an electric shock.

Holding her throbbing chest, Asuka bit down the fear that began to surge from the pit of her stomach. This wasn't real, it couldn't be real. Glancing around at the people buzzing about her, the rational thought did little to assuage her fears. Her previous controlled addressing of passersby quickly degenerated into frantic cries for attention. "Hey, can't any of you see me? Why can't anyone see me? Hey, look over here! "

Beads of sweat began running down her face as panic gripped her heart in its icy, vice-like grip. Looking quickly about her, Asuka stopped dead as she set her eyes on a familiar face. Shinji calmly strolled along side the faceless people, smiling amiably to nobody in particular. A spark of hope flared in the redhead's heart as she rushed over to her acquaintance. "Nice to see you stupid, any idea on where we are or what's going on? This place gives me the creeps." Already calling out to the familiar boy, the anxiety returned quickly when Shinji didn't even cast a glance towards the Second Child. "Hey you moron, tell me what's going on." Still no response.

Clenching her hands into fists, the isolated girl stubbornly continued to address the Third Child. "I- I'm talking to you Shinji. Why aren't you listening to me? I said pay attention!" Continuing past the red haired pilot, Shinji didn't bat an eyelash at the outburst.

"Shinji? …Shinji. Shinji!" The boy continued walking, his back to the screaming girl. "WHY WON'T YOU LOOK AT ME!?"

Asuka awoke to find herself curled up, cheeks already wet with tears. She tightened the grip on her sheets as she continued to sob quietly to herself.

* * *

**Author's Note: **As I said before, the story I wrote before is not related to this one in terms of continuity. The whole dream idea got me thinking about exactly what Shinji and Asuka dream about, so I had to write this one out. Anyway, this was short because there will be more to follow. This was just the set up. I'm worried about what exactly I'll end up with, but hopefully it'll be something decent. Please review and offer any ideas or criticism.


	2. Sickness and Health

**Disclaimer:**The characters Neon Genesis Evangelion depicted in this story are the legal property of Hideaki Anno, Gainax, Tatsunoko Productions, Production L.G., Star Child, etc. No infringement is intended; no profit is being made.

* * *

Dragging his hand across his mouth to wipe away the traces of saliva and vomit, Shinji sat back on his heels. The small, mostly empty room he now resided in had been his sanctuary for almost six months. Truth be told, the Third Child missed his old room in Tokyo-3, but very little of the city had survived the explosion caused by Unit-00's collapsing core. Absolutely nothing was left of the metropolis after Third Impact. Because of this, the members of NERV who had returned from the Sea of LCL made their homes in the newly appointed capital of Japan, Tokyo-2. Having useful military background and not much else, most of the NERV crew joined the JSDF. When Misato returned, she found a cheap apartment on the outskirts of the city and followed the example of her one-time subordinates by taking a position in the defense force. For lack of anywhere else to go, Asuka and Shinji stayed with their guardian and made themselves as comfortable as possible in their new home.

It had been, and still was at times, a very strained atmosphere. Neither Shinji nor Asuka had the words necessary for any meaningful conversation, so the two did their best to stay out of one another's way. The left over disappointment, anger, and hurts from Third Impact proved a difficult subject for the two. Misato had picked up on the atmosphere, but found there was little she could do to help matters. Her cheerful jabs at the two former pilots didn't quite come out as light hearted as she'd intended and seemed to darken the atmosphere further. Knowing when she was beaten, Misato had gradually stopped dishing out her half-joking quips. As the months passed, each child found the presence of the other tolerable and the two reached an uneasy understanding: act like nothing had happened. Of course it wasn't the most elegant or even functional plan ever to be conceived, but the two teenagers had no clue what else to do. Neither was quite ready to tackle the issues that lay between them like a vast river.

And now, in the middle of the night, Shinji shivered in his autumn chilled room, which currently smelled strongly of bile, sweat, and fear. His stomach still churning and his head throbbing, the boy slowly began climbing to his feet. He needed to clean up. The journey to his feet was much harder than the Third Child expected. Every muscle burned and twitched as the boy forced his body to stand. His joints popped in protest as he finally got his feet under him and made his way towards the door. The few steps seemed like miles. His legs felt like lead weights and his stomach cramped tightly. Scuffling to the door, he rested a moment, rubbing his sore back.

Grasping the wooden frame in hand, Shinji urged his arms to move. The simple wooden door seemed to weigh several tons, refusing to budge an inch to his weary efforts. Glaring at the door as if it intentionally meant to keep him inside his room, Shinji began pressing his weight into the attempts. The suddenly very light door slid open, sending the exhausted boy to the tumbling to the ground. Mumbling curses under his breath, Shinji once again making the struggle to his feet, and pressed on, forcing himself to take step after step towards the kitchen. Under the sink, the boy knew he would find a bucket and several detergents that would serve nicely to wash away the foul smelling stain away completely.

Naturally, it was Shinji's job to know where the cleaning supplies were because, after all, it was his duty to take care of household chores. He didn't mind for the most part. It was actually something he enjoyed doing. It made him feel useful. Of course it did tend to get tedious, and Shinji found the method of assigning the chores a bit suspect. With a weary smile, Shinji couldn't help but wonder if both Misato and Asuka had managed to find a way to cheat in "Rock, Paper, Scissors."

The smile quickly disappeared, replaced by a grimace as the ex-pilot strained his muscles with every step. Stopping to rest against the wall of the hallway, Shinji took the deep, ragged breaths of someone who'd run a marathon. Something was wrong. This was worse than the other times. For some reason, the boy had become rather frail since Instrumentality. He'd taken to falling ill rather frequently over the past few months. Aches, pains, headaches, stomach cramps, and nausea were problems he'd come to be familiar with. Of course, being in charge the apartment's upkeep, as well as needing to focus on his school work, Shinji had no time to succumb to illness. He'd done his best to hide his recurring sickness and seemed to be doing a decent job in keeping it from his roommates. The recurring illness made the Third Child nervous, often wondering what to attribute the ailment to.

No matter. With Herculean resolve, the deathly weary boy continued onward, each step a labor. He wouldn't be looked after by others. If he was sick, he'd take care of it himself. It wasn't out of some ridiculous need for independence or to prove his autonomy. Shinji simply refused to put any strain on either Misato or Asuka. Misato already worked hard enough, finding her rank didn't translate from NERV to the JSDF. The low ranking position offered brutal hours and a less than respectable salary, but the plucky purple haired woman did her best to not complain and paid the bills with limited fuss. Shinji felt guilty simply living there without forcing Misato to worry about the state of his health as well. And Asuka…Asuka had her own troubles to worry over. Shinji thought of strangling the strawberry haired beauty on the beach and the bandages she had carried then. He still had too much to make up to her before he would allow himself to cause her any further trouble. No, Shinji shook his head, they didn't need to be worried or bothered over him. He hated being a burden to others, his surrogate family in particular.

The Third Child grimaced at the thought of equating Asuka to family. It felt extremely odd to think of Asuka as familial in any way, particularly because of the daydreams the boy had found himself entertaining. Blushing furiously at the very idea, Shinji admonished himself. 'God, she's right. I am a pervert.'

Finally arriving in the kitchen, Shinji bent down near the sink, a ripple of discomfort riding across his lower back. Ignoring the unpleasant sensation, Shinji searched through the cabinet beneath the sink for several moments before finally rising again, bucket in hand. The boy smiled as he placed the bucket into the sink and turned the faucet. Waiting as the vessel filled with water, he wiped his sweat streaked brow and leaned against the counter top. Taking deep breaths, Shinji marveled at the ordeal such a simple task had become for him. Maybe he needed to more Vitamin C. That was supposed to boost the immune system, wasn't it?

Finally satisfied with the level of water in the tin bucket, Shinji turned the faucet off. Moving to grab the pail, Shinji stopped when he realized there was no way he could carry the full container back with him in his current condition. His mouth, a thin line set in determination, Shinji latched his right hand onto the handle of the bucket. He'd managed to control a several ton, 30 story high monster, he'd be damned if a bucket of water was going to beat him. Groaning with the effort, the ex-pilot lifted the bucket clear of the sink and began struggling back towards his room. Gritting his teeth, the boy forced step after step, careful to avoid sloshing the contents of the pail onto the floor. Entering into the hall once more, Shinji couldn't help but feel a twinge of pride in his self sufficiency. It made him feel good to not have to bother the two women who mattered to him.

Suddenly, everything stopped. A bright light flashed through the boy's mind and in an instant, Shinji lost all possibility for rational thought. Pain exploded behind his right eye as if someone had driven an ice pick into the socket. His stomach became a pit of ravenous vipers, each tearing away at a different spot in his abdomen. His arms felt as if they were on fire, the skin ripped from them and the pulpy muscle scoured to the bone. The earlier aches and pains were immaterial compared to this new wave of agony that shred through his body, searing any nerve ending capable of pain. Dropping to his knees, the boy let go of the bucket as he lost muscle control in his hands, the digits uncurling of their own accord. The water splashed across the carpeting.

Holding his abdomen with one arm and covering his throbbing right eye with the other, Shinji couldn't even gather the air necessary to scream. As suddenly as the agony appeared it vanished, leaving the shuddering form of Shinji Ikari huddled on the floor. His body felt numb, as if he'd been through a blizzard or freezing rainstorm. His body wouldn't move.

The quietly sobbing Asuka managed to catch the thud emanating from the hallway outside her door. Sniffling a few times, the pretty young woman slid her feet over the edge of her bed and wiped her eyes. 'Great, now what? Probably Misato falling down drunk again. What an irresponsible woman.' Of course, Asuka had refused to acknowledge the fact that Misato had severely curbed her drinking habit, substituting alcohol with canned coffee. Pushing herself to her feet, her muscles aching with every movement as she stomped towards the door, Asuka cursed her anatomy, not for the first time. She found it supremely unfair that a girl who didn't even want kids in the first place had to go through the same crap as other women. Of course, the nightmares only compounded her troubles, making this time of the month even more intolerable.

Stopping at the door, Asuka faltered as she heard the distinct sound of a low groan coming from the other side of the wall. Cocking an eyebrow, she quickly slid the wooden portal open, finding the collapsed form of Shinji shuddering helplessly on the soaked floor. Kneeling down to inspect the fallen boy, a stab of concern coursed through her. "Mein Gott, are you ok?" Placing a hand on the boy's shoulder, Asuka leaned close and tried to help him to his feet. Her efforts proved futile, however, and only succeeded in rolling the Third Child onto his back. The boy's breathing was shallow, but quickly began returning to normal as he opened his eyes. Shinji tried his best to tell Asuka that he was fine, but only managed something similar to a harsh cough. He was forced to settle on nodding to the affirmative instead.

Relief flooded Asuka for a number of reasons, not least of which being that if Shinji was too sick, there would be no one to cook or take care of the chores. Asuka often prided herself on her unabashedly upfront feelings, but managed to feel a twinge of guilt at her selfishness. Shinji was someone she cared for, far more than she would ever admit to anyone, including herself. Perhaps especially herself. Shoving the thought aside, Asuka took in the situation with a new sense of clarity and became curious. "What exactly were you doing out here, Stupid?"

Waiting for his breath to return to him, Shinji explained the situation. He explained waking up sick, his strained muscles, nausea, and quest to clean up the mess he'd left on his floor. He purposefully omitted the nightmare. Asuka fixed her cool blue eyes on Shinji and noticed something like concern pass over his features. "Asuka…are you ok?" For some reason the girl could not explain, the question raised her ire. Even in the face of his own problems Shinji was always trying to wait on others. What an idiot. "I'm fine," the terse reply was harsh and more than a little irritated. "Why do you ask?"

Shinji looked away from her, staring at the ceiling. "Your eyes are red." Scowling, Asuka rapped the boy hard on the head with her knuckles. Of course her red eyes weren't Shinji's fault, but she still blamed him for noticing. The jerk. "I'm fine, shut up Stupid. Let's just get you back to your bed."

Ignoring the ache in her muscles, Asuka lifted the boy from the ground and carried him to his bed, and if she let him down a little harder than was necessary, she felt it was her entitlement to do so. Leaving Shinji in his bed, she exited the room and went about filling up the bucket Shinji had dropped. When she reentered the room, a wash cloth was slung over her shoulder and she carried in her off hand a commercial detergent. Much to Shinji's amazement and chagrin, Asuka began cleaning up the pool of sick that had collected on his floor.

As the beautiful redhead scrubbed, Shinji felt a stab of shame and embarrassment. After everything he'd done to her she was still willing to help him when he needed it. Not that he deserved it. He should be cleaning up after himself and doing his best to make her comfortable as well. He had so much to make up to her: not being able to save her from the 15th Angel's attack, not saving her from the MP Evas…almost killing her on the beach. The incident in the hospital. His stomach turned once more at his despicable crimes. In the best of circumstances, he wasn't the type of person Asuka wanted or needed. In the strange situations when she had needed his assistance, the boy always managed to fail her spectacularly. He didn't deserve to be helped.

Clearing his throat, Shinji managed a croak. "Asuka. You don't have to do that. I'll take care of it." The girl reached out and flicked him between the eyes. She was getting really tired of this altruistic bullshit. "If you say one more word about this, I'm going to hurt you. Badly." Returning her gaze to the stain on the floor, she continued scrubbing despite Shinji's unconvinced look. About to open his mouth to protest again, Asuka held up a hand to silence him. As if reading his mind, she quickly shot another glance at the Third Child. "Alright, look. The only thing you owe me for is me cleaning up this disgusting mess of yours. I don't want you to mope around because of what happened while we piloted Evas, got it?" The former pilot of Unit-01 nodded slowly. 'Jesus,' Asuka thought to herself, 'Shinji can be a real asshole sometimes.'

Picking up the bucket and rag, Asuka made her way to the door. The thought of being alone caused Shinji to quickly call out to the departing Second Child. "Hey, Asuka." Turning to the boy's call, the redhead raised an eyebrow. "Would you…if you don't mind… would you stay with me for a while?" Shinji blushed furiously at his own request. Of course it was childish, but the boy knew that he would never find rest if he were alone in the dark. Not after the nightmare that woke him in the first place. Turning away from him, Asuka stepped out of the room. "Pervert."

Shinji's heart sank. Of course he'd expected a reaction similar to the one the young woman had given, but that didn't make the actual rejection any less disappointing. Closing his eyes, Shinji tried to clear his mind, but found images from his nightmares appearing in his thoughts more often than not. The momentary silence also caused the boy to realize something else. He was feeling much better. The ache in his muscles persisted, but the headache and nausea had subsided almost completely. The stabbing pain in his arms, abdomen and eye were only memories now having vanished entirely. Too relieved to wonder why the symptoms had vanished, Shinji sank deeper into his mattress with a heavy sigh.

Leaving the bucket, wash cloth, and detergent in the sink, Asuka turned on her heel and headed back towards her room. She had no intention of putting that stuff away too. Shinji could take care of that tomorrow. Exiting the kitchen and stepping around the portion of wet carpet, Asuka opened and closed her door loudly as she entered her room, signaling to Shinji that she was serious in her decision of not lying down next to him.

Flopping onto her own bed, Asuka silently stared at the ceiling. For several minutes, she listed every way in which Shinji had ever failed or disappointed her. The list was rather extensive. However, despite her enumerations of the Third Child's shortcomings, the angry girl simply could not stifle the portion of her mind that remembered everything wonderful about the cute boy. His meek attitude that had once so bothered the girl had managed to somehow ingrain itself in her perception of his character, becoming part of his boyish charm. He cooked for her, cleaned for her, did everything around the house without as much as a single complaint. He'd fought at her side against the Angels and had even saved her life once. She remembered sharing the entry plug of Unit-02 in the ocean, his hands resting over hers.

Shinji was many things to her, but not all aspects of that were welcome. He'd been her despised rival and appreciated friend, her possible love interest and hated pervert, her savior…her betrayer. The boy had come to embody so many parts of her life that Asuka didn't quite understand what the Third Child meant to her, didn't know whether she hated or loved him. As the seconds ticked by, she couldn't help but picture him alone in the darkness of his room. Clenching her fists so hard the nails began to pierce the skin, Asuka sat up and sat for a moment in silence. "Shit."

Finally finding the inclination to move, Shinji slid off his bed. His clothes were soaked from the fall outside Asuka's room. Stripping the damp t-shirt and trousers off, he tossed them in the corner of the room before pulling on a new set of pajama pants. Shinji lamented his roommate's stern refusal to stay next to him. He found himself taking more and more comfort in her presence, though he couldn't say why. A darker portion of his mind mourned the redhead's decision in a different way, conjuring images of a half stripped Asuka lying on his bed. Tugging a t-shirt down around his ears, Shinji harshly shook his head to rid himself of the images.

Finally dressing himself, the boy settled down into bed once more. Maybe he was selfish for asking Asuka to lie near him. She never was one for physical intimacy…Kaji was the only exception. A sudden, irrational hatred for the older man burned in Shinji's chest. Of course the sentiment was completely unfair and the boy knew it, he couldn't suppress the resentment he harbored for the scruffy gentleman. The Third Child wondered if Kaji would return. For all of his jealous anger, Shinji had liked Kaji a great deal. NERV Commander Gendo Ikari had never really been Shinji's father in any way that mattered, showing his face only when it benefited himself. Kaji had tried to steer Shinji towards a proper path and show him how to be a good man. The deceptively serious man's ideals had gotten him killed.

_Misato cried, listening to the sincere recording on the answering machine._

_Shinji shouted at Asuka, 'I'm telling you, Kaji is dead!'_

'…_You're lying.'_

Staring at the blank ceiling, Shinji wondered if Asuka would cry for him if he died. Exhaling a breath he didn't remember holding, Shinji rolled onto his side and let his eyes slowly close. He almost missed the sound of the door opening. Soft, steady footsteps. The rustling of sheets and shifting of mattress springs. Shinji swallow hard before rolling over to see his visitor. Of course, the boy already knew who was there, even without his earlier request. He always felt better when she was near. Strawberry locks greeted him as he turned. "If you touch me, you're going to pull back a stump, got it?"

Shinji smiled and shifted closer to the redhead before rolling back over. The aching in his muscles didn't bother him quite so much anymore and his unpleasant thoughts melted away. "Asuka…thanks."

Smiling in spite of herself, Asuka chose not to answer, instead shifting closer to Shinji. Their backs almost touching both pilots rested in silence.

**Author's Note: **I think this story might be more challenging to write than I original foresaw or intended. Oh well, I'll figure something out. This was to set a little bit more of the ground work for the story. I hope I didn't make my plot development too transparent. Oh well, review and tell me what you think. Next chapter should be up soon.


	3. Sojourn

**Disclaimer:**The characters of Neon Genesis Evangelion depicted in this story are the legal property of Hideaki Anno, Gainax, Tatsunoko Productions, Production L.G., Star Child, etc. No infringement is intended; no profit is being made.

* * *

Sunlight filtered in through the half shut drapery, cicadas began their warbling chirp, a light breeze whispered through the curtains, giving the air a pleasant chill. An arm slung around her midsection gave her warmth and stability, the presence at her back put her at ease. Sighing as she woke, Asuka Langely Soryu found that life was good.

Rationality took over and ruined the pleasant feeling.

Her muscles tensed for a moment as she contemplated throwing off Shinji's arm and charging from the room. The moment passed and the Teutonic redhead let her muscles relax as she thought of what to do. Of course, merely dashing from Shinji's side was a completely understandable reaction, but for some reason Asuka couldn't bring herself to so blatantly separate herself from the slumbering Third Child. Rather, the young redhead carefully lifted the boy's arm and delicately slid away from him. Placing his arm back down onto the mattress with utmost care, she cautiously made her way to the door.

Exiting the room and quietly sliding the wooden door closed, the strawberry haired young woman noticed that the warmth that had suffused her body only moments before was now slowly dwindling. With a scowl, Asuka remembered how much she hated symbolism.

Turning towards her room, Asuka was stopped in her tracks as a muffled sound drifted up the hallway from behind her. Looking over her shoulder, the mortified teenager found the source of the noise to be her widely grinning guardian. Feeling the color drain from her face, the Second Child quickly spun around, facing the dark haired woman. Rapidly waving her arms in front of her, the startled girl almost hoped to ward off the still smiling matronly figure's unspoken interpretation of the scene.

"I- it's not what you think!" Trying to keep her voice low, the stammering redhead harshly whispered, as if a logical explanation would be enough to derail her guardian's train of thought. Misato waved a single finger at her pretty young charge. "Tsk, tsk tsk. What a woman; leaving her paramour without as much as a whispered goodbye. I'm surprised at you Asuka. Although, not as surprised as I am with Shinji. I didn't think the little guy had it in him."

Fuming, Asuka quickly closed the gap standing between herself and Misato. "Look, it isn't anything like you're thinking. That's just the dirty mind of an old, gin-soaked woman working too hard." Taking the insult in stride, Misato continued with her teasing. "How was it Asuka? Was Shinji gentle? I always figured him to be the kind of guy that would do anything to please a woman. Did you tie him up?"

The seething teenager shook in abstract rage, but found she could not come up with anything coherent to scream at the older woman. Instead, she settled on turning away and stomping towards her room.

A bright smile still painted across her features, Misato calmly went to the kitchen and sat at the table. If she knew Asuka, the brash girl would do one of two things. The fiery young woman would either lock herself in her room to brood, or would soon arrive in the kitchen ready to argue to great lengths.

The latter proved to be true as, after a short wait, Misato was pleased to see the redhead storm into the kitchen, a scowl marring her good looks. Naturally, Misato knew there was a near zero probability that Asuka and Shinji had actually done anything illicit, and in fact, the giddy woman knew joking about the situation was exactly the sort of thing she shouldn't be doing. However, she found she simply couldn't resist teasing the children in her care.

With no intention of stopping, Misato made a note to take the children out sometime soon. Hopefully that would work as an indirect apology. 'In the meantime,' the decommissioned major thought to herself, 'I'm going to have as much fun as can be gained from this.'

* * *

Waking in the morning, Shinji immediately knew Asuka was gone. When she'd left, he couldn't say, but without even opening his eyes he could tell she'd already made her exit. The boy's familiar companions, dejection and guilt, blossomed in his chest like poisonous flowers.

The habitually depressed boy was upset that Asuka had left him, but more so than saddened, he felt profoundly guilt ridden for asking her to stay near him in the first place. He'd told himself he wouldn't be a burden to her anymore, he'd promised himself that after what he'd done to her he would find someway to atone for his sins.

However, for all his promises, all his resolve, in a moment of weakness he'd asked the girl to forget her own apprehension and indulge him. Shinji fought down the overwhelming urge to slam his head into the wall.

Finding his way to the kitchen, Shinji was surprised to see Misato was not only up and about, but was also poking fun at an already dressed, very irritated looking Asuka. Noticing the table was covered in the instant meals Misato generously referred to as food, Shinji quickly decided he wasn't hungry. Sitting a distance away from the quarreling women, the former pilot grimaced as he lowered himself into a chair. Less than thrilled to discover the soreness in his stomach and back were still presenting a problem, the boy rubbed at the pained areas and let out a tired sigh.

"What's the matter Shinji, rough night?" For some reason, Misato was all smiles today. And why was Asuka so angry?

The Third Child's eyes widened as he quickly picked up on what his disturbingly attractive mother figure was implying. How she'd found out about the night's sleeping arrangement was a moot point. Instead, the boy racked his brain trying to find something to say in response to the egregious charges that lay leveled against him.

Blushing furiously, he tried to stammer out some sort of an excuse, denial, or apology. Anything would have done at the moment, but Shinji quickly discovered all he could manage were strained noises that weren't quite words. Asuka bristled with new rage at the boy's ineptitude, staring daggers at the extremely flustered and embarrassed Third Child.

Looking down at the table, Shinji tried his best to not be angry with his guardian, but found it a difficult battle. It was simply in Misato's nature to make jokes to deal with problems or uncomfortable situations. However, the circumstances with Asuka were delicate enough without the older woman's teasing exacerbating the situation. "That's not funny Misato." The statement came harsher than he'd intended. The response from the usually timid boy caught everyone at the table off guard.

Tired, irritated, and sore, the boy exuded an air of palpable discomfort. Misato cast a quick glance at Asuka before shooting a sly grin at Shinji. "What's the matter Shinji? Don't tell me you're on your period too?"

Glaring at the older woman, Shinji decided not to dignify the joke with a response, instead mumbling under his breath something about his guardian being late for work.

Beaming at the great success of her quips, Misato quickly bid her charges good morning and scurried off to gainful employment. Before closing the door, she winked at the two teenagers. "Asuka, don't do anything you'll regret; use protection. And Shinji, always specify a safe word."

Shinji found it very lucky that the departing woman managed to exit fast enough such that Asuka's thrown glass only managed to shatter against the hastily shut door. "God, don't you hate her sometimes?" Crossing her arms, Asuka gruffly sank back into her chair. Shinji didn't answer.

Despite Misato's penchant for teasing, rather slovenly housekeeping and manners, and distinctly tasteless brand of humor, Shinji was more than willing to forgive any of her flaws. The woman had been the first to show him what it meant to have anything resembling a family. She'd given him direction, even when he'd done his best to avoid responsibility. She was more than a guardian. More than a friend. The relationship between the boy and woman was…complicated.

"Hey Stupid, enough with the daydreaming. Shouldn't you be cleaning up?" Breaking from his thoughts, Shinji realized Asuka was talking to him.

"Right, sorry."

As he went about clearing the table of mostly disposable styrofoam containers, Shinji gave a quick glance towards the calendar. The boy both rejoiced and cursed that it was Sunday. Having the day off gave him time to get over his ailment and perhaps even catch up on his school work. It also meant having to spend time around Asuka. Normally, he wouldn't have been bothered at the prospect in the least. In point of fact, he would have been ecstatic. However, between the girl's less than cheery demeanor and the guilt over the previous night's events still fresh in his mind, Shinji found the idea of being around the redhead terrifying.

The thought didn't sit well with him. How long had it been since he'd met the beautiful young woman? How long had they lived together? How many times did they stand together to face overwhelming odds and terrible danger? After all of that time, all of those memories, nothing was different. She was still the moody, brash girl she'd always been and he was still a coward, awed and petrified by the forceful woman. He hated her, loved her, and was afraid of her all at once.

How much of that was his fault? Hadn't Instrumentality done anything for him? Was he still the same person he'd been for so long? He wanted to say that he'd changed for the better. He wanted to lie to himself and assert that the deaths of others hadn't been for nothing, but found he couldn't.

In spite of his longing to be different, Shinji knew that he was still the boy he always had been. He was still a weak. He was still a coward.

It took him a moment to realize that he was alone again. Asuka made no attempt to draw attention to her exit and quietly slipped away while he was cleaning. The silence weighed heavily on the former pilot. There was no one and nothing there to prove him wrong, only himself and the simple, honest truth of his constant failures.

Returning to the kitchen, Asuka noticed that Shinji had stopped cleaning up. Instead, he was staring into the sink. "Something wrong?" Tying up her hair, the girl didn't give the question much thought. It was just a simple query, something to eat up time and dispel the silence. Shinji didn't know how to respond.

Waiting for a reply that didn't come, Asuka was getting annoyed. "Hey, I'm talking to-"

Shinji cut her off. "I'm fine. Everything's fine." It was best to simply push the thoughts aside and make it through the day. He still had work to do.

Asuka watched as Shinji continued silently working. Something was definitely on his mind, that much was certain. Could it be about last night? He did still look kind of pale. A flash of anger washed over the teenager as she watched the boy go about his chores. What was that loser complaining about? She wasn't exactly feeling her best either, but she didn't go about moping like a goof. He just needed something to occupy his thoughts.

"Hey, Shinji, want to go for a walk?"

Finishing the last of the clean up, Shinji glanced at his roommate, not quite sure what to make of her question. "Why? I mean I have to clean up here and I still need to study. We've got a test tomorrow, you know."

She rolled her eyes at the diligent child. "How boring. Why do you always do your very best to completely take the fun out of any given situation?" Placing her hands on her hips, Asuka's body language made it very clear she wouldn't accept an answer that wasn't to her liking. "Anyway, it's good to take a break sometimes. If you don't do something to relax, you'll get too high strung and end up doing poorly anyway."

Walking with Asuka? At one time he would have done so without hesitation, but now he wasn't sure how comfortable he felt around the girl. He opened his mouth to decline. He didn't want to be around anyone else for the time being. He needed to think.

"Eh…sure. J- just let me get dressed."

Fuck. Leaving the last of the dishes in the sink, Shinji went to bathe and change. For better or worse, he never could deny Asuka anything.

* * *

Another day of boring paperwork, filed complaints, and setback after setback. This was getting to be more trouble that it was worth. Misato Katsuragi scribbled furiously at the reports filling her desk. Since the disbanding of NERV, she wasn't supposed to be relegated to menial jobs like this. "Fate," Misato muttered to herself, "seems to really hate me."

Working in the Tokyo-2 division of the JSDF did have its advantages, Misato had to admit. With NERV swept away in Third Impact, more than a few governments decided it best to safeguard against possible Angel attacks in the future. Katsuragi wasn't too certain there ever would be another attack, but didn't discount the possibility.

More to the point, because of her previous experience as NERV's Operations Director, the decommissioned major was looking at papers that assigned her to be Commander of a new branch of the defense force, dubbed HERZ. Misato found it far too similar to the old organization than was comfortable, but decided not to bring up such petty grievances. After all, with her at the helm, things would be different.

* * *

Sliding on his shoes, Shinji sighed in resignation. He'd much prefer to stay inside and work, but Asuka was adamant in her position. So, because he was the pushover he always had been, Shinji agreed to walk with her.

Where they were walking to, the redhead hadn't specified. Shinji wondered if she knew exactly where she was heading to at all.

Pushed out the door, Shinji stumbled before managing to catch his balance once more. Asuka quickly took up a quick gait, forcing the boy to hurry to keep up. The beginning of their time together didn't seem to be any indicator that things would be getting any better.

The day was perfect. The sky a striking blue with nary a cloud to tarnish its purity. It was cool without being cold enough to be uncomfortable, and the sun hung brightly in the sky. Normally, Shinji enjoyed such days but found himself unable to admire anything about the pleasant afternoon. The sky looked to be growing hazy, the air was getting more of a bite to it, and the sun seemed obnoxiously bright. It was only with the girl walking next to him that he couldn't find fault. And it wasn't for lack of trying.

Everything about the attractive redhead screamed poise, grace, and beauty. As long as she wasn't speaking. Her flawless delicate skin, her crystal blue eyes, the strawberry hair that framed her pretty, heart shaped face. She was every inch the superior woman she claimed to be. Shinji sometimes found himself wondering why she didn't carry scars from Third Impact. The thought was always closely followed by intense guilt at remembering the sounds of the battle without being able to do anything to save her.

Asuka turned her head towards the boy at her side. His eyes snapping forward, Shinji did his best to appear very interested in the ground ahead of him. Asuka wasn't sure whether to find the whole affair cute or disgustingly childish. Instead, she decided to not say anything and make a decision later. In truth, she found she didn't quite mind Shinji's glances. After all, it wasn't as if Shinji was just anyone. 'Wait, what the hell does it matter if it's that moron or not?'

Glancing at the boy again, Asuka came to the decision that she didn't want to think any further on the matter.

The time passed slowly, neither saying much, except for the occasional half-hearted attempt at conversation of no particular consequence, if only to have something filling the gap between them. Boarding several trains and busses, the two let the time pass trying not to focus on the awkward background noise of the discussions between pedestrians and passengers as the arena of their journey changed.

Shinji remembered his own travels through the streets and back alleys of Tokyo-3. Thinking back on his retreat from Eva and NERV, Shinji realized that the memory was from a scant 13 months prior. It seemed like a lifetime ago. A new pang of nausea struck as the Third Child peered out the window of the bus. Covering his mouth until it passed, Shinji cursed his decision to come with Asuka.

Rubbing her stomach the Second Child silently cursed her anatomy once more. The discomfort slowly passed as she leaned back in her seat. Shinji had it easy, even if he didn't know it. At least men didn't have a monthly cycle of agony for the sole crime of not having a child. "Hey Shinji, where do you want to get off at?" Not getting an immediate response Asuka turned to her traveling companion. "Hey, Stupid, are you listening to me? Eh...what's the matter?"

The boy looked slightly paler than usual, hand plastered over his mouth. He was going to be sick. "Oh great, why didn't you tell me you get motion sick you idiot?" Shaking her head with a sigh, Asuka shrugged helplessly. "At least that answers the question of where we're getting off at."

Stepping off the bus, the two teenagers found themselves clear across the city from their home. Hunched over, Shinji tried to curb the nausea and cramping in his stomach. Asuka tapped her foot impatiently. The Third Child couldn't understand what the redhead was so anxious about, there was nothing out here.

Taking in his surroundings Shinji could see a highway in the distance. That was the road which connected Tokyo-2 to the scarred and ruined remains of what used to be Tokyo-3. Looking away, the boy also noticed that the surrounding area wasn't overgrown, for some reason it looked like people _did_ come out here.

Asuka tapped Shinji on the shoulder. "Hey, what's out here that people would come visit? There's nothing around." Apparently, Asuka had noticed the peculiarity as well. Straightening up, the Third Child looked for any sort of land mark, but found nothing. The only remarkable thing about the green field was the hill that dominated the area.

Tugging on Shinji's arm, Asuka pointed up to the hilltop. "Let's head up there, that's the only thing worth looking into. Maybe there's a nice view of the city." Shinji doubted anyone would travel to the outskirts of the city for the view, but then again Shinji had never been on a date before. The thought struck a chord as the boy wondered as to the exact nature of the outing he and Asuka were on. He quickly lost track of the thought as Asuka roughly pulled him towards the hill.

Her curiosity piqued, the girl wanted to know exactly why anyone would come to such a boring place. Maybe the two teenagers had come across some good luck with Shinji's sudden need to stop. The steep hill made the journey to the top difficult. It would have helped had there been a clear path to follow. Instead, the former pilots had to make due with a crudely worn trail that others before them seemed to use.

Cresting the hill, the pilots found themselves staring at a large wooden cross. Crudely carved in the dark wood were the characters "3I- For Those Lost and Those Left Behind." Neither child could find anything worth saying.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I know, it was a given that the two would wind up close after falling asleep. Ah, well who am I to break the laws of fiction physics and probability? Although, I must admit, this is turning into a ridiculously difficult story to write. No matter. I'll keep moving forward. Next chapter will contain more plot details, I hope for the actual story to start to unfold next time.


	4. Purgatory

**Disclaimer:**The characters of Neon Genesis Evangelion depicted in this story are the legal property of Hideaki Anno, Gainax, Tatsunoko Productions, Production L.G., Star Child, etc. No infringement is intended; no profit is being made.

**2****nd**** Disclaimer**- It has been brought to my attention that my own ideas have coincided with a preexisting fan fic, in regards to the organization HERZ. I wish to state that I was unaware of this and that this overlap of ideas is purely coincidental.

* * *

The sun had already crept down below the horizon and the apartment was still more than halfway across the city. Shinji Ikari kept pace with his red haired companion as the two made their way back from the edge of the metropolis. Neither had said anything since finding the crudely fashioned memorial.

Shinji had more questions for Asuka than he wanted to really contemplate, but decided it was best not to probe too deeply into the matter. She'd been through a lot during the ordeals of Third Impact and Instrumentality.

The Third Child wanted to believe that Asuka was back to her old self. He wanted to believe that Asuka had once again become the confident, unshakable spirit she'd been when he'd first met her, but…

The boy couldn't shake the image of the comatose, empty shell he'd seen in the NERV hospital bed. The girl had been used and strained to the physical and emotional breaking point, leaving her nothing but a broken doll, a puppet with its strings cut. She hid herself away from the world and everyone in it. Until she came back with a vengeance. All was well, and for a brief, shining moment, Asuka returned to being the beautiful, self-assured girl she'd always been. Only to be shattered again by the Eva Series.

Looking at her, the casual observer would never guess the bright redhead was anything other than completely sure of herself, undaunted by her past experiences. Shinji tried to tell himself she was healed, but the Third Child knew all too well that not every wound was physical. And most of them didn't disappear so easily.

"Hey, Shinji." Looking at the ground ahead of her, Asuka seemed to be just as deep in thought as the boy at her side. "I've been meaning to ask you, but…I wasn't quite sure what to say." Casting her eyes towards the heavens, she stopped for a moment.

Halting next to the distracted Second Child, Shinji nervously stared at his feet rather than the stars. He tried not to stargaze anymore. He was afraid that he'd look up and find a bright red slash carved across the night sky. The strange ring had dissolved shortly after Third Impact, but the boy couldn't help but expect to see the peculiar sight when he found his gaze drifting skyward.

Startled to find that Asuka had resumed walking, Shinji quickened his gait to once again take his place at the young woman's side. What had she wanted to ask him? The boy contemplated asking her, but found himself unsure if that was the wisest course of action. The Third Child remained silent as he kept pace with his companion.

The long, uneasy silence returned, broken only by the atmosphere of the thriving metropolis. The bright lights of the city flashed around the two teenagers, the air alive with conversation and passing traffic. The flashing neon signs and the bright streetlights worked to keep the darkness of the night at bay. The man-made lights inadvertently wound up creating more dancing shadows than they could cast out.

The hush between the two pilots lasted for several blocks. Stopping before a large stone fountain, the Children found themselves in the unofficial center of Tokyo-2. With a large variety of shops and cafes surrounding the landmark, it was no surprise that many young couples found the area ideal for dates.

Both pilots stared into the cascading waters of the stone creation, neither wanting to look at the other. Most spectators would be amazed at the way the bright lights of the near by buildings reflected off the shimmering and constantly flowing waters of the fountain to create a charmingly bright display of color. Asuka found it hurt her eyes.

Rubbing absently at his right eye, Shinji decided to find out what his companion had started to ask. Swallowing, the boy clenched and unclenched his hands. "Ah, Asuka-"

"I wanted to ask you…" The girl interrupted, steadfastly keeping her gaze locked onto the bright colors dancing across the swirling waters. "What do you remember about being in… that place?"

Eye's widening, Shinji barely gained the composure to close his mouth. Shifting his feet uncomfortably, he struggled for a way to answer.

Grasping at straws and never coming up with a satisfactory answer, the boy closed his eyes and let out a sigh. "I remember bits and pieces, but never enough to make any sense."

Licking his suddenly dry lips, the boy continued, "I- I think… the strongest memories are about Misato and Ayanami…and you. It wasn't…" Shuddering at the unpleasant flashes of memory, Shinji couldn't finish the thought. The smell of coffee drifted from one of the cafes.

"I didn't like it."

Opening his eyes and lifting his gaze, the boy finally forced himself to look at the girl at his side. Still staring forward, Asuka held her arms close to her chest. Her arms weren't crossed in her usual display of disgust or egotism.

It looked like she was trying to hold herself.

Looking away again, Shinji wondered what the redhead had seen. Shuddering in fear, he wondered just how much of the experiences he'd had were shared with her.

_I know all about your little jerk-off fantasies about me._

Even before he'd gone to Tokyo-3, Shinji wondered as to the nature and existence of the Almighty. After Third Impact, the boy harbored serious doubts about the presence of a benevolent god. And yet, despite his uncertainty on the subject, the Third Child silently prayed that Asuka really didn't know about his disgusting sins.

Shinji was shaking. 'Maybe' Asuka thought to her self, 'all this talk about Instrumentality isn't something he's ready for.' The boy always had been more than a little fragile. It was almost a sure thing that Instrumentality had cracked the boy's emotional foundations a bit.

Maybe it would be best to forget the whole matter and just walk the rest of the way home.

"What about you?" Flicking her eyes to her left, Asuka studied the boy as he finally gathered the nerve to look at her. His eyes couldn't decide whether they wanted to connect with hers or not, constantly drifting between them and the ground.

In truth, this was the whole reason she'd brought up the subject of Instrumentality. Hell, it was the whole reason she'd brought him out at all. She wanted to be able to talk to someone about the ordeal. Where to start, though? She was ready to deal with Instrumentality, but….

Absently running a hand across her abdomen, the girl decided that the fight with the Eva Series wasn't something she wasn't quite ready to relive.

Set in her course of action, Asuka gripped her arms tighter. "I saw Kaji again. Wondergirl and Misato were there too. And Mama." A defeated look swept across Shinji's face. Apparently he was upset about something she'd said.

"Did they tell you anything?" The Third Child was simultaneously relieved and devastated at Asuka's version of Instrumentality. Apparently, he wasn't part of it.

Asuka nodded, "Yeah, I think so. I'm not sure what they wanted. Everything was so… ambiguous." The ex-pilot chewed on her lip nervously. She swore she would tell Shinji about what she saw, but the redhead still couldn't bring herself to tell the Third Child how large a role he played in that place.

"Ambiguous." Staring into the headache-inducing lights dancing across the waters of the fountain, Shinji repeated Asuka's description of Instrumentality. "That's a good way to describe it." Rei had used the same word.

"I hated that world." Asuka was scowling now, her hands clenched tightly into fists. "You could look in any direction and see the past of anyone you wanted. Nobody could hide anything from anyone else. Everyone was forced to bare their soul to anyone who cared to look. Everyone just pooled together to lick their own wounds. It was disgusting."

Shinji understood what Asuka was trying to tell him. Her words from the 15th Angel attack echoed in his memory: _No, please! Don't look into me!_

The boy was surprised that the normally closed off girl would reveal so much about herself. Asuka was quick to boast of her college degree, physical aptitude, and special status as an Eva Pilot, among many other superior qualities she possessed. It was almost unthinkable for the Second Child to admit insecurity or fear so freely.

"Asuka…thank you."

The redhead furrowed her brow. What brought this on? The abrupt change in the boy's tone caught her off guard. Unsure of how to respond, Asuka fell back on the bravado she'd comfortably used as a shield so often. "Yeah, well…what are you thanking me for you idiot?"

Shaking his head, Shinji gave a meek smile. "Nothing." He looked down at his watch. "I think we should try to hail a cab or something. Misato should be getting off work soon."

* * *

The stacks of paper neatly set across the desk were testament to her change. Misato Katsuragi had become far more organized over the course of the time leading up to Third Impact. Most people who'd known the Major before the noticeable difference found the change unsettling.

Form after form of requests, invoices, budget constraints, and other bureaucratic nonsense flooded her office. How had Commander Ikari done it? The man was devoted, but it would take a fanatic to get through this much work. Although, he did have Vice Commander Fuyutsuki to push paperwork on.

As if on cue, the door slid open revealing a dark haired, bespectacled man in his late twenties. "Hello Maj- Uh…I guess I should call you Commander now, right?" Makoto Hyuga gave a small smile.

"I wouldn't worry about it Hyuga." Stifling a yawn, Misato set down the pen in her hand and glanced at the clock. Almost nine o'clock at night. She should have left over an hour ago. "What is it this time, Vice Commander?"

Hyuga stopped resting his shoulder against the door frame. Reluctantly, the newly appointed Vice Commander of HERZ moved forward to place several newly arrived documents on the dark haired woman's desk. "The U.N. wants to work on recovering certain… items from Tokyo-3."

Flipping through the papers, Misato scowled at the information. "Do those U.N. idiots really think they'll find anything?" Hyuga gave a small shrug. Leaning over her desk, the HERZ Commander propped her head against her fist. "I guess it can't be helped. Get to work on putting a team together to search for any remnants of the original Magi System. Send them first thing tomorrow."

Snapping a salute, Hyuga gave a short 'Yes Ma'am' and turned to leave. He was stopped by the woman's voice. "Hyuga, you can drop the formalities. We're friends, right?"

Without turning around the bespectacled young man gave a small smile. "Right, Katsuragi."

* * *

Arriving home, Shinji shelled out what little money he had to the cab driver. To his credit, he complained very little and in a very low voice.

"You say something Shinji?" Asuka looked over her shoulder at the Third Child as the cab drove away. He shook his head quickly. "N- no. Nothing at all."

With a brief huff, the redhead turned away and quickly led the way back up the stairs to the apartment.

Digging in his pockets for the keys, Shinji was surprised to hear the clicking of fast approaching heels. "Hey, Shinji, Asuka. What're you guys doing out so late?" Misato quickly joined the children at the door, hovering behind Shinji. Smiling mischievously, the woman leaned down near the boy's ear. "Did you take Asuka to a love hotel?"

Recoiling from Shinji at the accusation, Asuka quickly found her voice. "What was that, Misato!? Oh my God, you're so gross! Is that the only thing on your mind you dirty old hag?" Searching with newly inspired vigor, the Third Child quickly found the key to the apartment. Speedily opening the door, the boy quickly disappeared into his room.

He could still hear Misato mercilessly teasing Asuka through the thin walls of the home. Sighing, Shinji hoped his guardian would let up soon, it sounded as if Asuka was going to have an apoplexy.

Stumbling to his bed, the Third Child found he was very tired. At the moment, it felt as if every hour of his life had caught up with him. Barely taking the time to take off his clothes, the tired boy sluggishly crawled into bed. As the darkness of sleep bubbled around the edges of his thoughts, the last things Shinji heard were Asuka's shrill cries mixed with Misato's teasing giggles.

* * *

The city was so dark. All around empty, lightless towers rose from the ground, a testament to Man's power. Even above those steel and glass monoliths, Shinji Ikari stood as the apex of humanity, the zenith of Man's achievements. Shinji Ikari…and Evangelion Unit-01.

The boy's mind spread through the armored giant, making him feel as if he truly was a god walking the earth. He strode amongst the towers of humanity's greatest city, feeling the ground tremble under his stride.

The hand lashed out, grasping his head. He cried out in surprise and panic. He couldn't move. A pressure pressed into his arm.

**Snap**

Shooting pain flashed through his arm and bright spots danced in front of his eyes. It took the Third Child every drop of willpower to keep from passing out. The haze clearing, replaced by a terrible pain, the boy realized that his arm was broken.

As the phantom lights disappeared a single dot stubbornly remained, growing steadily brighter and brighter. Soon it rivaled the sun in radiance, forcing the boy to look away.

The light solidified and crashed into his eye. The impact jarred his teeth and blurred his vision. Another impact. A third. The light drew back a final time, as Shinji cried out in terror, pain, and knowledge of what came next.

The lance of the third Angel ripped through Eva's helmet and out its back, shredding organs and flesh, breaking bone. Shinji Ikari felt his eye compress and finally rupture under the attack, spilling clear liquid and spraying blood.

Snapping up in bed, Shinji pressed his hand against his right eye to confirm it was still there. Deep panicked breaths escaped as he quickly checked his left arm. Nothing wrong there either. He fell back onto his pillow. "Another dream."

Rolling on his side, the boy noticed the digital clock on his desk read 5:48 in the morning. With only a few minutes before his alarm went off, the Third Child decided to force himself out of bed. Making his way towards the bathroom, the calendar hanging on the wall of his room, Shinji stopped dead. The date was circled with the hastily scrawled characters "TEST TODAY."

The dark haired boy slapped a hand to his forehead. He'd forgotten all about it. He'd told Asuka about the test yesterday. They should've been studying all yesterday, not gallivanting around Tokyo-2.

He taking a deep breath, Shinji admitted to himself that the trip he took with Asuka was probably worth it. It was almost like…a date. Shinji couldn't keep a smile from his face, and blushed despite himself.

Stepping into the hall, he met Asuka, freshly crawled from bed as well. Her hair a mess, her eyes half screwed shut, a scowl painted across her features, Asuka really wasn't a morning person. Shinji was always shocked to find that no matter what the situation, she always looked breathtaking.

"What's with the stupid smirk?" The boy quickly stopped smiling, thinking for a suitable response. He wasn't going to tell her the real reason, not if he knew what was good for him. After a short pause, the boy simply muttered, "Good dream."

With a short huff, the redhead disappeared into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. The sound of running water told Shinji he wasn't going to get a turn for a while. With a sigh, the tired boy decided to make breakfast. Popping slices of bread into the toaster and cracking a few eggs into a skillet, the boy dreaded the coming school day.

* * *

Walking home, Shinji stared slack jawed and wide eyed at his test. He had no explanation for it. Without studying more than 2 hours in the past week, he'd managed to ace an advanced physics test. "Really, I don't see why you're so surprised. I mean, it isn't like the test was all that difficult. I got 100 too."

Asuka always did have to chime in. "Yeah, well I'm not college educated. And don't you think it's weird that you aced that test too? I thought you couldn't really read kanji." The redhead thought for a moment, but quickly dismissed the observation. "Simple really," She bragged "I'm just so incredibly bright that I managed to pick up the writing style in my short time living here. Don't seem so shocked, I _am _a genius after all. And, maybe you just got lucky. That seems about as good an explanation as any."

The Third Child shrugged. He wasn't so sure about that. It was impossible to do so well on that test by sheer luck. What troubled the boy most was the fact that, for some reason, he knew how to solve even the most complicated questions on the exam.

Physics was never his most celebrated subject. He did a fairly decent job at keeping up with other students, but he'd never particularly understood the subject, truth be told. In the end, he decided to simply enjoy the walk with Asuka and the minor scholastic success.

Despite her cool exterior, Asuka was having similar thoughts. It was true enough that the subject was child's play for someone of her intellect and schooling, but the redhead found it odd that despite her lack of exposure to the writing system, still managed to understand what the questions were asking.

When looking at the exam, she'd found that the kanji had become as easy to decipher as her native tongue. Looking at street signs and ads on buildings, she found she could still read the characters. She'd told Shinji that it was because of her natural genius, but that seemed a hollow explanation. Not coming up with a satisfactory justification for the change, the redhead simply chalked the ability to her superior genetic stock.

* * *

Even as the children made their way across the city, the HERZ exploratory team led by Makoto Hyuga passed through the decimated remains of Tokyo-3. The great crater stretched farther than could be comfortably thought of, filled to the brim with the strange, red-orange fluid known to a knowledgeable few as LCL.

Hyuga was never one to be easily flustered, but the cavernous ruins of the few buildings still standing seemed to radiate an unpleasant aura. Maybe it was the strange smell of blood, salt, and rusted iron emanating from the not quite man-made sea. Perhaps it was the muted sunlight that almost refused to touch down in the damned city.

It could have been either, but Hyuga couldn't shake the feeling of how large the siege fortress masquerading as a city had been. What once was a center of global affairs and the most important stronghold in human history was now a glorified graveyard, a monument to the dead and gone that were lost and had yet to return from Third Impact.

No birds sang. There chirp of cicadas that seemed ubiquitous in modern Japan, was conspicuously absent. Nothing natural lived here. Nothing could. Not even weeds would grow in this God forsaken place.

And, here he was about to descend into this man-made Hell at the behest of a woman he respected, admired, and loved. And if he felt that life and love were unfair to him, the bespectacled young man kept that to himself.

Coming to the edge of the bloody sea, Hyuga ordered the team to set up camp. If they'd hurried, the HERZ soldiers and scientists could have managed the begin searching that same day. As it turned out, nobody could muster the strength to move any more expediently than necessary in the face of so much death and destruction.

As the sun fell towards the horizon and the search party retired to their tents, Makoto Hyuga reminisced. Working under Katsuragi with Aoba and Ibuki had been fun for all the terror of the Angel attacks. Everything started out so gallantly. He'd helped save the world from total annihilation on a regular basis. And then Katsuragi asked him to investigate for her and he'd learned the truth.

It was so much easier to be ignorant.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I'm really sorry about the late update. Once again, real life has dragged me, kicking and screaming, away from writing. I suppose I could claim it was a writer's block that kept me from posting. That certainly was part of it, but mostly it was work and family functions. I'll try my best to keep updates coming in quicker succession. As always, review and tell me how I'm doing. Once again, sorry for the very late update and I hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	5. Milieu

**Disclaimer:**The characters of Neon Genesis Evangelion depicted in this story are the legal property of Hideaki Anno, Gainax, Tatsunoko Productions, Production L.G., Star Child, etc. No infringement is intended; no profit is being made.

**Author's Note: **I just realized that I haven't given any context as to the background of this story. This story is sort of an amalgamation of events from the Evangelion anime and manga. I cherry pick situations and events from Sadamoto's version of the story and crudely pasted them into Anno's version. Sorry for any confusion.

Two weeks. It had been two weeks and still the HERZ expeditionary team had come up with absolutely nothing. Dredging the sea, searching the desiccated ruins of Tokyo-3, fanning out into the outer regions of the Impact point, the expedition had no luck in their mission of finding any remains of the original Magi system.

The sea had only yielded the decomposing "flesh" of Rei/Lilith. Thick gobs white skin and muscle that stank of sickly sweet decay. The search teams in the ruinous city similarly turned up empty. Only the husks of what had once been a great testament to human ingenuity and technological might. The skeletons of Man's last great stronghold, empty save for the unnerving feeling of being watched.

Still in his hazmat suit, Makoto Hyuga stood at the edge of the Sea of LCL as the sun seemed to sink into the crimson depths. He couldn't help but notice that the sun, reddened as it fell towards the horizon, looked like a gunshot wound in the sky. A bloody hole in Heaven, drowning the world in red.

Looking out into the scarlet ocean, the Vice-Commander suppressed a slight shiver. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened during his time in the destroyed area, but Tokyo-3 had never been an ordinary place to begin with.

Hyuga wasn't always the most cynical of guys. That was more Aoba's thing. But, everything about his schooling, work, and personal world view forced him to look at the Angels and Eva from a fairly scientific point of view.

He'd never truly believed that the Angels were emissaries from God. To him, the name just seemed to come from people with a penchant for the dramatic and who were more than a little self-important. Angels, God, the souls in Eva, those ideas had never held much weight for a man like him. Besides, Angels wouldn't be out to destroy humanity…would they?

That didn't matter anyway. When it came down to it, Hyuga still thought of himself as a man of science. He couldn't exactly explain Instrumentality in terms of numbers and equations, graphs or ratios, but for him there was still some logical source for the event. And, despite constantly reminding himself of that, the Vice-Commander still couldn't shake the feeling of something incredibly _wrong_ in the air.

In every whispering of wind he heard the voices of unseen people. At night, he could swear the press of human bodies surrounded him, even when he was alone in the team's makeshift headquarters. The presence of intangible people was almost overpowering now, at the edge of the sea of red. At any moment, he half expected a hand on his shoulder or a breath on his neck.

Watching the surf lazily wash across the sands, Hyuga couldn't help but wonder if Ibuki and Dr. Akagi were in that sea somewhere.

A voice crackled through the comm. system built into the hazmat suit. "Vice-Commander Hyuga, we think we've found it!" Hyuga's thoughts slammed to a halt. Not for a single second did the bespectacled man ever expect to actually find the original Magi system. It was, along with everything else in NERV HQ, had been wrenched from the earth and left to crash back down. It was unthinkable for anything to still be recognizable from the wreckage.

"Get me an escort. I want to see for myself."

* * *

At the shoreline of the sea, sat part of the original Magi system. Two enormous heaps of steel, copper, plastic, and deep in the heart, flesh. After two weeks of searching, the machines now simply rested on the damp sands of the bloody sea. Hyuga knew that this area had been searched; the kept records were meticulous as to area and time of any single search party's activity. There was only one explanation that came to mind: the Magi were left for them by someone.

Hyuga decided to wait until making his written report to think further on the matter. "Prepare to have these airlifted to HERZ headquarters. Is there any theories as to where Casper is?" A technician with a nervous voice spoke up, "Well, we've exchanged ideas sir, but none of them seem to adequately explain why the third portion of the Magi is still missing. Or why Melchior and Balthazar are here to begin with."

Hyuga nodded. "I will be returning to Tokyo-2 with these portions of the Magi system. The rest of the expeditionary team will stay and locate Casper." Hyuga paused for a moment. He was starting to sound like Vice-Commander Fuyutsuki. The bespectacled man wasn't sure how to feel about that. Turning his back on the massive computers, he retreated to the makeshift command center to wait for his transport.

* * *

A crack of thunder ripped through the closed space. The heavy scent of cordite filled the air. The human shaped target down range was riddled with holes. First Lieutenant Shigeru Aoba calmly ejected the spent clip as he eyed his work. Most of the shots were grouped in the human silhouette's head. Not bad.

Slamming another clip home, the nihilistic young man quickly cocked his HERZ issued HK USP before unleashing another hail of bullets. With each pull of the trigger he recited a mantra to himself.

"Never again." BLAM!

"Never again." BLAM!

"Never again." BLAM!

This was his ritual. Whenever he had the time, he'd come here and practice. Playing guitar was fun and all, but it wasn't something you could count on if you were in trouble. He wondered if the members of the JSSDF had ever taken time to practice something like guitar. Probably not.

Setting the pistol down on the platform before him, Aoba sighed. Not for the first time he wondered if this was actually worth anything. All the practice in the world wouldn't save you from a squad of trained professionals. Real life wasn't like a comic book. How many times had he told Hyuga that?

Giving a small smile, he returned the pistol to its holster under his jacket. "Looks like I'm the one who's unrealistic."

Turning to leave the firing range, Aoba was surprised to see his four-eyed friend. Caught off guard, Aoba paused a moment. "Hey. Aren't you supposed to be out on official business?"

Hyuga shrugged, "Don't act too happy to see me."

Aoba managed a small smile and offered his hand. "Yeah, sorry. Good to see you back. How was it?"

Another shrug, as Makoto shooke his friend's hand. "About as well as you'd imagine. Scorched earth, fallen towers, seas of blood. You know, the usual."

Making their way out of the range, the two men climbed the stairs up into HERZ headquarters proper. The gunmetal grey walls, interspersed with the deep red HERZ symbol (the silhouette of a fig tree) made the two ex-NERV personnel feel more familiar with the underground complex. And if the similarity to NERV, and the events that took place in that organization, made them uncomfortable they hid it well.

After chatting amiably for a time, Aoba off handedly wondered, "So, you see any ghosts back home?"

Hyuga didn't answer, instead keeping his head straight forward. Aoba realized that maybe he'd crossed a line, being so nonchalant about the subject. "Jeez, sorry I didn't mean to-"

Hyuga waved the comment off. "No, it's no big deal. Don't worry about it…. It just felt a little weird there."

Aoba cocked an eyebrow. "Weird. What's that supposed to mean? Don't tell me you really think you saw something."

Shaking his head, the Vice-Commander brushed off the comment. "I didn't say that. It just felt…off."

Rolling his eyes, Aoba muttered, "Come on, of course it's gonna feel 'off.' It's where Third Impact happened. What were you expecting, sunshine and rainbows? Jeez, get your head straight."

Hyuga glared at the Lieutenant out of the corner of his eye. "Is that anyway to be talking to a superior officer? Keep it up and I'll pull rank."

Chuckling, Aoba gave his friend an amiable punch on the arm. "Yeah right. You're still First Lieutenant, manga-reading Hyuga to me. How about this: the day you hit it off with Misato, is the day I call you Vice-Commander."

The bespectacled man tried his best to force down the heat growing in his cheeks. He failed miserably. "Knock it off with that. It wasn't funny back then, it's not funny now."

A group of technicians passed the two, muttering about something uninteresting. Neither man spared a glance at them. Shigeru noticed the hallway to Central Dogma was coming up.

Aoba wrapped an arm around his annoyed friend, smiling all the while. "Come on. It was obvious to everyone. I bet Misato was even onto you. You never did a particularly good job at hiding it. Honestly, I don't get what you see in her. Sure, she's good looking and all, but… I figured a nice, quiet girl like Ibuki was more your type."

Hyuga scratched his head. Aoba may have been a bright guy, but for the most part it seemed that human interaction was a bit of a problem for him. "I- I don't think I was her type. Besides, Misato is capable, interesting, driven…beautiful."

Giving his friend a strange look, Aoba shrugged curtly. "Alright, whatever you say. If that's how you feel, that's how you feel. Besides, with Kaji gone that means you've got a decent shot at her now, right?"

Looking at his shoes, Hyuga only managed a quiet, "Maybe."

Patting his friend on the back with a smile, Aoba began to break paths with his friend. "Hey, I've gotta get to Central Dogma. Some new technicians are supposed to be arriving today. Supposed to replace you and Ibuki." He stopped at the idea of Maya being gone. "It doesn't feel right, does it?"

Shaking his head the Vice-Commander looked back as his friend. "I guess not. See you later Aoba."

The two men broke paths and went their separate ways. Hyuga could hear Aoba whistling the chorus to some rock song that had been playing a lot on the radio. Heading to his office, the Vice-Commander passed by Misato's. She'd left the lights on again and her files strewn across her desk.

The Commander may have been moving towards being more organized, but apparently bad habits don't give up without a fight. Opening the door, the young Vice-Commander quickly cleaned up the woman's office, neatly stacking the papers in the center. Looking around, the office seemed…empty. Of course there were sundry items. A file cabinet, desk, chair, a small, fake potted plant. But there were almost no personal effects adorning anything.

The only item that gave the room much personality was the picture frame at the top right corner of the Commander's desk. It was a photo of her and the two ex-pilots. Asuka was near the left edge of the picture, her arms folded and her face scowling at the camera. Shinji was trying to force a smile while Misato wrapped her arm around his head and blew the camera a kiss. All in all it seemed a pleasant photo.

After a moment, the Vice-Commander decided that the papers made the desk look untidy. Sliding open a drawer in the desk he almost dropped the papers in, before noticing it. In the drawer was another picture. A photograph of Ryoji Kaji, looking as sly and charming as always, surrounded by a simple silver frame. Hyuga slid the compartment shut and chose a second one to deposit the forms in.

Flicking off the light, Makoto Hyuga thought about what his friend had said. _Besides, with Kaji gone that means you've got a decent shot at her now, right?_

"Maybe not."

He closed the door behind him as he left.

* * *

Entering the new Central Dogma, Aoba quickly spotted the two new technicians assigned to assist him and replace Hyuga and Ibuki. The idea didn't quite sit well with him, but the orders came from the top, so good little drones had to do as they were told. A little too much like NERV for comfort.

The two new technicians were both men in their mid to late twenties. The taller one, standing at 177 centimeters had short black hair, which was messy but looked purposefully so. He had a slight build, but wasn't necessarily a waif. Not exactly a looker, but not strictly unattractive either, the man seemed rather forgettable. All in all, a normal person. His grey eyes looked Aoba up and down, sizing him up. The lieutenant got the feeling he was being looked down on.

The technician gave a sloppy salute. "Ryusuke Nagato, sir." Aoba quickly decided he didn't like the guy.

The other man quickly followed suit, nervously snapping up straight. He was shorter than the other by at least a head and, unlike his fellow co-worker, almost painfully thin. Whereas Nagato radiated arrogance, this one exuded nervous energy and more than a little fear. Wide, brown eyes and short, stringy brown hair gave the impression of a mouse that might scurry away at any moment. "Y-Yasunobu Ise, s-sir."

Aoba thought that he looked like a cross between Maya and Shinji. With a sardonic grin he motioned for his new co-workers to ease. "Alright, alright. Enough with the formalities. You're suffocating me here. I'm Shigeru Aoba, nice to meet you."

The three quickly exchanged handshakes. "So, Ise and Nagato I assume you know most of the commands, order codes and such? Don't have to go over those do I? I hope not."

Ise quickly shook his head, "N-no sir. I've got it d-down pat. No problem."

Nagato elbowed the smaller technician sharply "Calm down Ise, we're all co-workers here. No reason to be overly formal. We're all guys, right?"

The mousey young man rubbed has arm. "Y-yeah…I guess so." He looked at Aoba as if to ask 'is that ok sir?'

Aoba sat down at his console and leaned back in his chair. Glancing at the scrolling numbers and characters, he noticed that the HERZ mechanical and computer techs had already reconnected part of the Magi system. Hm, fast work.

Folding his arms behind his head and kicking back, the senior bridge technician closed his eyes. He thought about working beside Hyuga and Ibuki, sharing jokes while the commanders and pilots were busy doing important work, eating together. He'd never really thought of them as close before, but it suddenly hit Aoba that…they were his only friends. Great, what a time to get sentimental.

Ise stuttered again, breaking in on the lieutenant's thoughts. "Uh…s-sir. Sir, something's happening."

Cracking an eye, Aoba gave a cursory glance at the screen. His eyes snapped open as he read the information coming in. Ise and Nagato quickly took their seats, typing away furiously. Aoba turned his head and barked orders. "Get a hold of Hyuga, and Commander Katsuragi! Put out the alert to all personnel to get to their posts! Try to get in contact with the Tokyo-3 expeditionary team!"

Typing a storm Aoba quickly brought the main screen up. On the horizon, out towards the wreckage of Tokyo-3, a pink explosion in the shape of a cross burned faintly. The two Magi agreed. Pattern Blue: Angel.

* * *

**Author's Note: **I know, I know. A long wait for a short chapter. And no mention of Asuka or Shinji. Don't worry they'll be back next chapter. I don't know why I felt the need to make new characters. Just the mood struck me. This wasn't really a filler chapter…I think. Anyway, the next one will be longer and hopefully sooner, featuring our main characters once more.


	6. Conflict

****

Disclaimer:

The characters Neon Genesis Evangelion depicted in this story are the legal property of Hideaki Anno, Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, Gainax, Tatsunoko Productions, Production L.G., Star Child, etc. No infringement is intended; no profit is being made.

**Author's Note:** I know I said I'd update sooner, but, I've been putting of finishing this chapter. In all honesty, I abhorred writing this entire part of the story. I've felt negatively about some of my previous work, but I whole heartedly believe this is my worst update yet and I only put it up to keep the story going. However, maybe I'm wrong. People have said my less-than-exemplary work has been adequate in the past. In any event, I made this chapter longer than the last few to make up for the rather substantial time gap between posts. To the people to take the time to regularly read my work, please accept my most humble apologies.

* * *

Shinji Ikari stumbled as the fist connected with his jaw. The blow staggered the relatively small boy, sending him back several paces and filling his mouth with the coppery taste of blood. He only had a moment to notice that the punch didn't hurt as much as the first time a fellow student had struck him. Toji hit harder.

A second blow rocked his left temple, sent him reeling. Wobbling several more steps aside, the boy's head swam. Haze drifted through his thoughts as he tried to keep his feet under him. A follow up blow crashed into his stomach, sending the air rushing out of his body. Doubling over and dropping to his knees, the Third Child held his abdomen and futilely tried to draw wind into his lungs.

Hunched over, gasping at the strangely elusive air, the boy wondered what he'd done to deserve the beating. Not that being beaten up on was something entirely uncommon for him. Since coming back to school, he'd been the target of a few overbearing students who wanted to make themselves look menacing. He didn't like it, but he supposed he didn't mind terribly. He'd been through far worse in his time.

The first time Shinji had ever been assaulted at school was because of his clumsy piloting of that humanoid weapon of mass destruction: Evangelion Unit-01. However, Shinji had gratefully given up piloting the man-made atrocity and everything that entailed.

Now, the Third Child was simply a meek, uninteresting, cowardly, school boy who wanted nothing more than to be left alone and calmly drift through life. This of course, was a large part the reason he'd been so eagerly assaulted. A rather unimposing figure with no fight left in him, Shinji was simply an easy target.

Piloting Eva had caused him nothing but misery. Living a normal life was proving to be difficult precisely because he was nobody special. It seemed that no matter what sort of life he lived, the boy would be destined to endure hardship.

Sometimes Shinji wondered if God had slapped a spiritual "Kick Me" sign on his back. If that were the case, it meant the Almighty either **A)** had a strange sense of humor or **B)** was a total asshole.

Shinji hoped it was "A."

Finally breathing through ragged gasps, the fallen boy had the presence of mind to be grateful that his assailant hadn't kicked him yet. Still, the former pilot couldn't think up any reason someone would make the effort to hurt him. As far as he knew he hadn't slighted anyone.

Feeling the blood trickle from his mouth and down the left side of his face, he supposed the point was moot.

* * *

Looking down at the huddled boy bleeding on the ground, Kazuki Aikawa sneered derisively. The unpleasant expression seemed out of place on his handsome face. A dark haired boy with uncanny good looks, a bright mind, and a physical aptitude that most would kill for, Aikawa should have been above associating with someone like Shinji Ikari.

However, certain events had made the confrontation necessary, and Aikawa could only think one thing. This was pathetic.

Shinji Ikari was some nothing little wimp who got mediocre grades and played cello for the music club. There wasn't anything special about him. In truth, the kid had more working against him than for him. He never had much to say, was piss poor in anything athletic, and was way more antisocial than was healthy. A waste of space. Even so, he'd expected at least some sort of resistance.

Then, what did Asuka see in this pathetic bastard?

Ikari was the only person that Asuka even vaguely showed any interest in. She kept away from the female cliques and shot down any poor sap dumb enough to ask her on a date. Of course, there was still no shortage of students trying to get in close to the foreign wonder.

'Would you consider joining our club?'

'Want to be friends?'

'Will you go out with me?'

But, was it really any surprise that the red haired marvel was attracting so much attention? She had the highest marks in the class, was obscenely proficient at anything vaguely athletic, and played first seat violin in the music club. She was smart, funny, capable, and above all, beautiful. And Kazuki had to have her.

Of course, he'd asked her out. How could she turn down the great Aikawa? He was one of the highest scoring students in the prefecture, the baseball team's star shortstop, and one of best looking guys ever to grace the halls of this second rate junior high. He was just as much of a phenomenon as the German girl. Then why, why, why?! Why had she turned him down?!

Any idiot with eyes in his head would see that the two were perfect for each other! Two superior students would only naturally be drawn together. Despite the obvious truth of it all, Soryu had still turned him down. The images paraded through his thoughts again. The day he'd confessed to Soryu.

Kazuki Aikawa was unaccustomed to being rejected, but was not completely unprepared for it. He'd dated girls who, at first, were too shy to admit they liked him. If Asuka were to turn him down, he assumed that would be the manner in which she would do so. However, such was not the case.

He'd strode up to her right after class ended, offered to take her out, and waited for her to jump at the chance. His cocky self-assuredness shattered when he heard Soryu begin to laugh.

Unfamiliar warmth filled his cheeks and a long since discarded emotion wormed in his stomach. Kazuki Aikawa was embarrassed.

It was uncommon for any girl to turn him down. It was unthinkable for one to simply laugh of his advances. And yet this girl had done just that, making him look like a fool in front of the whole class. She was saying something now, berating him mercilessly, but he couldn't hear her over the furious haze clouding his thoughts.

The girl stopped when she was tired of insulting him and made her way to a meek boy at the back of the class. The boy was listening to music and looking out the window. Apparently he hadn't noticed the occurrence at all. Asuka yanked the ear phones from Ikari's head and after a half-hearted attempt at being malicious, led the boy out of the room.

It had been a week since that day and all Aikawa had done was seethe. He ran the events of that day over and over in his thoughts and come to one conclusion. Soryu didn't dislike him; she was just preoccupied with Ikari.

Ikari.

Soryu should have been happily dating him, just about ready to give it up. Instead, she hung around that wuss, Ikari. Asuka and the wimp had both denied that they were dating, but it was obvious that there was something going on between the two of them. Maybe they weren't dating yet, but something was bound to happen.

So, to show Asuka that Ikari was a waste of time and blow off some steam while doing so, Kazuki had decided to pick a fight with the mopey student. However, despite his best efforts, Ikari had refused to be drawn out. In the face of taunts, insults, and threats of bodily harm, the quiet student simply shrugged and said,

"I don't want to fight anymore."

The Third Child's detached responses only served to fuel Aikawa's ire. After several minutes of trying to provoke the intransigent boy, Kazuo began to lose his patience. The haughty student lashed out with a quick left hand, slamming into the right side of Shinji's face.

Throwing all of his weight behind the blow, Kazuki's jaw almost dropped when he realized that the seemingly made of glass wimp didn't go down. Stepping forward and swinging hard, Kazuki slammed his right fist into Shinji's temple. Still the boy remained on his feet. Growling, Aikawa punched low, sending a crushing blow into Ikari's stomach.

The oppressive student grinned in satisfaction as his blow caused Shinji to cry out in a strange warble, the air rushing from his lungs. The meek boy crumpled to the ground, his arms latched around his midsection, gasping for air.

'Much better,' Kazuki thought to himself as he glared down at the fallen boy at his feet, 'This is what it should be like. A pathetic wimp like Ikari should be bowing before me.' And still the feelings of rejection and anger didn't wane.

Looking around, Kazuo realized that a crowd had drawn around the scuffle. Casting only a cursory glance across the faces gathered around him, Aikawa quickly found a beautiful redhead glaring at him from the sea of faces. The boy stopped smiling when he saw the look the exotic girl's face.

She was disgusted.

* * *

Since returning to school, Asuka had been bored. The tests were all subjects she knew inside and out, the people were painfully dull, and the clubs never fulfilled the need in her chest that piloting Eva had. Of course she was exemplary at anything she did, but that was hardly the point.

Being extraordinary in mundane activities was something anyone could do. With enough practice, enough time, and enough tenacity, someone could become just as clever, fit, and skilled as she was. Eva had been different.

In the whole of the world there were only a select few who could pilot Eva and she had been one of them. After fighting enormous monsters in a stories-high mech, everything else in life seemed to take a back seat. Nothing could possibly be as important as what she had already done.

It was an odd feeling, doing your most important work at such a young age. School had been boring when she was an Eva pilot, but at least then she had cared if she impressed her peers. After Third Impact, scholastic achievements were simply things to take up time.

Her fellow students no longer held any interest for her at all. The people at school weren't exactly unpleasant; they just weren't appealing to the ex-pilot. They all seemed so…boring.

More often than not, she found herself talking to and spending time with Shinji. He was still an idiot and would go through bouts of depression and mope about if the mood struck him, but she'd learned to tolerate such things from him. In fact she tolerated a lot of things from Shinji she wouldn't from others.

However much she tolerated them didn't mean she approved of those traits. In fact, she tried her best to get the boy to change. So far, it was slow going. It was in the spirit of trying to change the former pilot of Unit-01 that Asuka was letting Kazuki Aikawa hammer away at the unassuming boy.

She remembered Aikawa. He was supposed to be some sort of genius. Good at sports, athletics, academics, and fairly good looking to boot. Of course, he was nowhere near her level, but that never stopped him from pretending he was. He had a handsome face, black hair that he wore slicked back, and a pretentious air of entitlement. When he approached her, Asuka told him to stop having ideas above his station.

Now, like a spoiled child, the spurned Kazuki was taking his frustrations out on Shinji. Asuka didn't like it, but allowed for the beating to continue. It was for Shinji's own good that he learn to stand on his own and fight back. He'd always been too quiet and self-sacrificing.

Despite all of her best intentions, Asuka still felt sick as Shinji fell to his knees. She couldn't quite isolate the feeling of revulsion that worked it's from the pit of her stomach. The disgust might have been aimed towards Kazuo, for picking on an obviously pacifistic boy. Maybe it was because Shinji was too pathetic to beat an ordinary junior high student despite all of his NERV required self-defense training.

Or perhaps, maybe, possibly… deep down she felt sick with herself for not stepping in to help one of the only people close to her.

Crushing the feelings forming in her chest, Asuka scoffed to herself. "No reason to get overly sentimental. This is Shinji we're talking about."

Still, she didn't take any pleasure in having to watch the boy get hurt.

* * *

Looking down at Ikari, Kazuki wondered why Asuka was so upset. This was proof that he was the better man. She had to see that he was a better option than the boy quivering in the dirt.

She couldn't still be sticking up for that piece of shit on the ground…could she? Anger welled up in the boy's chest as he glanced between the disgusted girl and the prone wimp.

Walking around the downed Shinji, Kazuki drew his right leg back. Swiftly lashing out, the vicious student slammed his foot into the former Eva pilot's ribs.

Flinching, Asuka watched as Shinji clutched at his abdomen again. It was obvious he'd had the wind knocked out of him once more, his eyes screwed shut, his forehead pressing into the dirt.

"You see?" Kazuki said, grinning widely at the squirming child on the ground, "You're nothing compared to me. Honestly, I don't see what that stupid bitch sees in you."

Drawing back for another kick, the baseball star suddenly realized that he was looking up at the sky. He was on his back…and his face hurt. His mind clearing through a strange haze, Kazuki found that he was in agony.

Writhing on the ground, clutching his face, the boy cried out as a warm liquid seeped between his fingers. Through teary eyes, he watched as blood rushed into his hands. Carefully exploring his face, he cried sharply as his fingers grazed his nose.

Bracing against the pain, Aikawa carefully prodded at the extremity. Bright lights flashed in his eyes as he tactilely inspected the damage. "Oh God," he managed as he realized what had happened, "Oh God, my nose! My nose is broken!"

As if coming to the conclusion cleared the last of the mental cobwebs, Kazuki remembered what had transpired. He'd drawn back to kick Ikari (that stupid fucking dog) and then there'd been a flash of red.

Asuka had moved faster than anyone he'd ever seen, closing the ten meter distance between them as if it were nothing. Stepping severely with her right foot, the agile foreign girl pivoted sharply, raising her left leg as she spun.

The high kick connected with the sharp snap of breaking cartilage. The force of the blow sent Kazuo through the air, landing harshly on his back some 150 centimeters from where he'd started.

The pain seemed to renew its efforts in light of the revelation, sending the boy into new spasms. Rolling on the ground, clutching at his face he could only manage a simple refrain. "You bitch, you bitch, you stupid fucking bitch!"

Ignoring the screams, Asuka casually strolled past the squirming student and lowered herself to one knee next to the pitiful form of Shinji Ikari. Reaching out to touch the boy's face, she stopped herself. "You ok? Can you walk?" There was no roughness in the question, her voice uncharacteristically soft.

Raising his head, Shinji did his best to focus on the girl next to him and not the crippling pain in his midsection. Taking in the redhead's face, the Third Child was mildly surprised to see something almost out of place painted across her features. She was genuinely concerned.

He should have felt happy to see her worry over him. The boy had always wanted someone to care about what happened to him. For a time, he didn't care who it was. He simply needed the assurance that somebody felt enough for him to care one way or another if something happened to him.

He couldn't say exactly when that general feeling began to specify itself. He could only say for certain that, at some point, the desire to be cared for was suddenly personified in Asuka.

Had the idea slowly grown during the training to fight the 7th Angel? Perhaps it had been a sudden epiphany when he'd leapt into the searing heat of an active volcano to save her. Maybe it hadn't been either and was simply the culmination of sharing a close space for so long. It didn't matter, he felt something more than a simple closeness to her.

That connection was the reason he felt guilty when he saw the concern in her eyes. All his life he'd only ever been trouble for others. Even after swearing that he wouldn't be a burden to anyone anymore, he'd managed to screw up again.

"Yeah," he managed a short nod, "I'm fine."

Relief seemed to wash over her face, "That's good," the redhead noted. Suddenly, the worry and compassion vanished from Asuka's face, replaced with a hard glare that almost made the boy recoil. "Because, I'm not going to carry you home! Get up Stupid."

For a moment Shinji wasn't sure he was looking at the same girl. 'So much for compassion.' Straining his body, the wiry ex-pilot managed to struggle to his feet. Wobbling for a moment, the beaten boy stumbled before steadying himself.

Breathing deeply, he winced as a sharp pain raced through his abdomen. The next few days were going to be hell. "Hey, Asuka," turning to look at his companion, Shinji noticed the crowd of students for the first time. Being face down in the dirt has a way of keeping your attention from small things like that.

Murmurs began to move through the assembly. Half heard voices reached Shinji's ears as students whispered to each other.

"…why didn't he fight back?"

"He got lucky; Kazuki was going to seriously hurt him…"

"…how can he call himself a man? He got saved by a girl…"

"…I can't believe he's still able to stand up after that. What's he made out of?"

Suddenly very uncomfortable, Shinji shifted from one foot to the other, not sure what to do. Luckily, the boy had Asuka. Flashing a glare that could stop a JSSDF soldier in his tracks, the imposing redhead silenced the gathered students. "Don't you people have to be getting home?"

The assembled students ambled about for a time, not exactly ready to leave. After all, Kazuki was still groaning quietly to himself in the dirt. Stomping, the strawberry haired beauty suddenly became fear given human form, "I said get going!"

Not willing to tempt fate by angering the girl any further, the milling crowd scurried apart and the students all went their separate ways. The lack of the crowd left the area outside the school feeling decidedly lonely. Or perhaps it was serene, aside from the groans of Kazuki Aikawa. Shinji couldn't tell.

Starting off without casting a single glance at her fellow ex-pilot, Asuka merrily made her way towards the apartment. The bloodied ex-pilot cast a short glance at the slowly recovering form of his assailant. Quickly moving to keep pace with his companion, Shinji forced himself to walk normally. He found it to be very hard work.

Following behind the bright, cheerful girl, Shinji strained to keep up. Watching her swaying red hair, the Third Child felt a strange resentment in his chest. Why had she waited to help him? Why didn't she step in earlier? She could have spared him this pain, so why did she wait? The question gnawed at him, refusing to go unanswered.

Passing a bus bench, the boy stopped, as much to catch his breath and rest as to satisfy his curiosity. The boy sat and called out, "Hey, Asuka," he began, his eyes looking at the dried blood that stained his hand, "Why'd you wait?"

The pretty girl stopped, turning to face the question. "Huh? What do you mean?" Looking upon the boy's face, Asuka expected to see anger or displeasure. She found uncertainty instead.

"When I was…fighting Kazuki, you didn't…" He stopped, Misato's voice echoing in his ears. _Hiding behind the skirt of a little girl at a time like this?! Snap out of it! _

How pathetic. Not only had he been saved by Asuka, he was wondering why she hadn't saved him sooner. "No, it's nothing."

Pursing her lips, Asuka thought about offering some words of comfort, but couldn't think of anything she was willing to say. "Well then, stop slowing us down and let's go." Muttering as she walked on, the girl didn't spare a backward glance. Shinji forced himself to his feet and followed quietly, wallowing in self-loathing.

* * *

Upon arriving at the apartment, the students were surprised to find their guardian lounging in front of the television. Usually at this time she was at work, but apparently HERZ was more willing to grant time off than NERV. Peeking up from the couch, the dark haired woman gave a quick wave and smile. "Hey you two, how was school?"

"Fine." Shinji mumbled as he continued towards his room, not slowing down a whit. Asuka cheerily hummed to herself as she made her way next to the couch. Resting her chin in her hands while leaning against the sofa, the girl happily announced, "The Third got into a fight again."

"What?" Misato sat upright, looking for her male ward, "Shinji get over here. Let me have a look." Repressing the urge to sigh, the boy obeyed and soon stood before Misato, his chin lifted so she could get a clear look at his face. Taking the boy's chin in her hand, the motherly woman turned his head this way and that, searching for any less obvious wounds.

Bringing her face close to his, she examined the large cut on the boy's lower lip and the split skin above his left eyebrow. Satisfied that he'd suffered only minor injury, Misato shook her head. "Going by the condition of your uniform, I'm willing to bet you didn't fight back again."

Looking down, Shinji realized that he looked a mess. His white oxford shirt was smudged with dirt and blood, missing several buttons near the collar, and wrinkled from where Kazuo had gotten hold of it. He wondered how bad his face looked.

The boy nodded, prompting another sigh to escape his guardian's lips. "Shinji, you need to stand up for yourself. You can't just let people do whatever they want to you." They'd had this conversation several times, but it never seemed to make any difference.

The boy couldn't meet the woman's eyes, "I'm sorry Misato." The same hollow response he'd given so many times before. 'It always comes to this,' the boy thought to himself, 'I haven't changed at all.'

Seeing the gloom hanging around the boy, Misato rubbed the bridge of her nose. "It's ok Shinji, you didn't do anything wrong. Just…just go get washed up and changed." Giving an almost imperceptible nod, the boy solemnly turned away and made his way to the bathroom, the door clicking shut behind him.

Settling back on the couch, the raven haired woman sighed to herself. "Oh, Shinji…"

* * *

Standing before the immaculate white porcelain of the sink, Shinji looked into the small bathroom mirror, seeing the extent of the damage for the first time. The boy didn't think it was as bad as his family was making out. Family…. The boy smiled lightly at the thought.

His lower lip was marked with a long, vertical, black line of drying blood from where the first strike had landed. Above his left eye, a similar gash, this one horizontal, left a long trail of drying blood down his face. The blood covered a large amount of the boy's face, almost acting as a strange half mask.

Exploring the wounds with his fingers, the boy winced as a sharp sting greeted his probing. All in all, it wasn't so bad. He might not even need stitches for the injuries. The cut next to his eyebrow definitely had the possibility of leaving a scar, though.

Turning the sink handle, the boy cupped his hands and carefully splashed the cool water on his face. Hissing as the water bit at the still open wounds, Shinji did his best to rub away the sticky fluid. Reaching for a towel to clean himself, the Third Child found the rack empty.

Quickly counting the days his head, he realized that laundry needed to be done. In a very rare occurrence, Misato had apparently done her share of the workload. Of course, the woman being helpful still managed to inconvenience the boy. It seemed that fate made it difficult for him to get through even small matters

The click of the door opening surprised him, Asuka entering the room even more so. Confusion tugged at his mind, as the redhead made her way to him. "Asuka what're-?"

Cut off as the girl gruffly took his chin in her hand, the boy began to protest when she spoke. "My God, Third Child, you really can't take care of yourself at all, can you?" His chin still firmly in her grasp, the boy was unable to look away from the girl's smirking face. God, she was pretty.

The boy stumbled backwards as his roommate gave his face a quick shove. Falling harshly on the toilet, Shinji's heart leapt to his throat as his pretty assailant crouched down to meet his gaze. Feeling his face slowly heating up from Asuka's close gaze, the Third Child made the attempt to look away. For reason's he couldn't quite understand, he didn't want Asuka to see the rosy tint his cheeks had taken. It wasn't something she hadn't seen before, so why did he care?

Taking the boy's chin in hand again, Asuka produced a thin, white towel. Careful to avoid reopening the cuts or causing the boy an unnecessary pain, she wiped at the blood covering Shinji's face. "Misato told me to bring you a towel. But, knowing you, you'd probably screw this up too, so keep still."

Forcing to keep his head straight forward, Shinji did his best to avoid looking at the girl before him. His eyes refusing to obey his commands, the boy slowly locked his gaze on the Second Child's face. An impassive mask met him. Whatever Asuka felt at that moment, he couldn't tell.

Wiping away the blood staining the boy's face, the redhead rubbed Shinji's face with care that bordered on affection. Swallowing hard, the Third Child did his best to convince himself that he was wrong. It didn't take.

The tender caress of the damp towel, the heart stopping beauty of his roommate's delicate face, the strange positions the two were in. Heart hammering in his chest, Shinji felt the reality of the situation set in. Asuka sitting before him, gently stroking his face, not screaming about how moronic he was.

He'd had dreams like this before. However, in most of them, one of the two parties was significantly more naked.

Taken aback at the turn his thoughts had taken, the Third Child quickly averted his gaze once more. Desperate for something besides the immoral fantasies to occupy his attention, he cleared his throat. "H-hey, Asuka," the boy began, knowing that he would regret the next words that came from his mouth, "you d-don't have t-to d-do this."

"I- I know," Asuka began, sounding like a small child admitting to something she shouldn't have done, "B-but I w-want to."

No, wait. That wasn't right.

Asuka's face hardened into a scowl. "Fine then, Third Child," she began, her voice sharp enough to cut glass, "Take care of it yourself!" Flinging the towel into Shinji's face, the angered redhead turned on her heel and stomped out of the bathroom.

The towel fell into his lap and Shinji blinked several times. What just happened? Asuka had had two completely different reactions. Looking at the towel resting on his legs, the boy shook his head. Maybe the head wounds he sustained were worse than he'd thought.

Cleaning up the last of the blood himself, Shinji changed into more casual clothes and rested in his room. Staring up at the ceiling, the Third Child slowly felt the fog of sleep slowly creep in on his mind. His eyes closed and his mind drifted of to sleep.

* * *

_11:22 pm_

Eyes snapping open, Shinji awoke with his ears ringing horribly, his head pounding. The calm of the night split as a high pitch shriek tore across the sky. The sound originated in nightmares, the bad places of a man's mind. A sound of terror and agony and rage that sounded vaguely human. A surging of voices scrambling for dominance: men, women, children, elderly, the unborn. A storm of collected anguish and fear that would not go unheard. Something was screaming.

Something was screaming and Shinji Ikari could hear it.

Stumbling to his window, the boy was taken aback at the light pouring in. It was far too late for that much light. Forcing himself to look, the Third Child felt his stomach drop as he saw the bright red cross burning in the distance.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Once again, I'd really like to apologize about the long time between updates. That and the really, really hurried ending. But, I needed to stop somewhere I could move on to the next part of the story. Anyway, once again, really sorry, please review and be brutal.


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